In architecture a keystone is the wedge shaped
stone piece at the apex of a masonry vault or arch.
It is the piece that locks all others into position and
allows the arch to bear weight without it the structure
would fall to the ground. Much like in architecture
the keystone transitional housing and homeless
assistance center adds structure and support to
those that have fallen into homelessness.
The program offered at the keystone aims at
getting participants off of the streets and into their
own homes. This is accomplished through offering
sustenance, shelter, health care, and training. The
dining room provides sustenance not only for the 500
residents of the center, but to a total of 3000 people
throughout shifts spread through the day. Those
residing in the center have room options designed
to accommodate a range of situations from single
to family. Health care services are available to the
general homeless population along with mental and
social services available to those in the program.
Both physical and mental training are offered as
part of the program through interior and exterior
recreation along with various educational and job
placement services.
The building itself reflects the structure of the
program through its two part steel structural system.
A diagrid superstructure is set off from the building
and paired with an internal beam sub structure. The
keystone shaped entry atrium space from which the
building gets its name, was shaped by reflecting the
east and west site lines across one another. The 6
story atrium connects the floors and the program
elements within while acting as a stack ventilation
system to passively cool the building.
The Keystone acts as a symbol of support and hope
for the homeless through its expressive features and
its amenities offered to the community.

Boise fire station #5 responds to the diverging needs
of the urban and suburban context with a datum line
that stretches across the site and unites the northwest
and southwest facades while dividing the apparatus
traffic from the rest of the site. On the northwestern
edge of the site a path constructed of bricks reused
from the old fire station runs parallel to the datum
and through a park space to the entrance. The
path turns into the main circulation hallway running
through the building allowing for ease of circulation
within. Adjacent to the entrance is the training room
that opens up onto the park space, allowing for
training exercises to be performed both inside and
out and also for functions to spill out into the green

space. Down the hallway lay the more private
office spaces. The second level is set back from
the entrance and training room, housing the living
areas for the fire fighters. The day room projects out
through the datum and overlooks the southern side
of the site providing a connection with apparatus
activity in that area. The fitness room also breaks the
datum and overlooks the apparatus bay showing
the association between physical and mechanical
activities. Half of the dorm rooms are located to
the north side of the second level, all of the dorms
receive calming light through windows oriented to
catch views of the mountains in the distance and
allow for rest and rejuvenation for fire fighters. The

third level is stacked atop the second and houses
the remainder of the dorms along with a courtyard
and recreation room. The courtyard space is pulled
back away from the datum and provides a private
exterior area where the firefighters can interact with
one another and take in the warm southern sun.
Views from the southeastern edge of the third level
allows for a visual connection with downtown Boise.
The datum stretches across the site linking together
the facades, one representing the southwest urban
the other reaching towards the neighborhoods to
the northwest, showing the full spectrum of areas
served by station #5.

It became evident early in the design process
that the preservation of the existing landscape
was a critical design issue due to the natural
beauty surrounding the site. In order to do this
the buildings are arranged to match the existing
topography. Green roofs stretch from the hillside
and over the buildings allowing for the buildings
to become an extension of the landscape and
read as a series of edges that subtly emerge
from a grassy hill. The MREC campus steps up the
hill creating a separating distinct program into
individual buildings. Moving up hill from the dock
and dive operations at the bay to the community

community outreach and administration
building where visitors can learn about the
park and the local habitat surrounding the
island. Further up the hill lays the education
and collection building, and the residential and
dining building, both in close proximity to the
laboratory complex. The laboratory complex
was arranged to facilitate the exchange of
ideas through increased social interaction.
The laboratory program was arranged in
long narrow bars in order to allow for natural
ventilation and daylighting. High occupancy
areas such as the computer lab and the lecture

hall were oriented to catch the prevailing
easterly winds. The lab areas, where lighting
was most crucial, were arranged with north
and south facing windows. The wet labs which
require more environmental control were sunk
back into the hillside. The bars of program were
arranged around a central courtyard space to
encourage social interaction and the exchange
of ideas. This created a box of program which
was then opened up to allow for a visual
connection with the rest of the campus and the
bay to the west.

Peak oil
World oil production peaked in 2010. Given current
figures for population growth and industrialization
of third world countries, it seems demand for oil will
continue to increase and the supply will continue to
decrease. As the distance between demand and
supply grows wider, cost will inevitably go higher.
Our proposal endeavors to imagine the impact of
even a modest increase in the cost of fuel and the
repercussions it might have on our built environment
and the way we live within it. Coeur d’ Alene, ID is
automobile dependent and relies upon imported
products to sustain its current population. What impact
would $7 gas have on this oil invested community?

We imagine two important transformations 1.) It
becomes no longer cost effective to commute from
the suburbs. 2.) Coeur d‘ Alene has enough assets to
encourage many of its current inhabitants to continue
living there, even if it requires some change to their
current lifestyle.
Transformation
Human beings are resilient. For example if oil were no
longer available, we believe people would discover
new ways to live without it, transforming their lives
and environment. This transformation would be aided
by the potential for cooperative efforts within the
community. Specifically, by readapting and reusing
the existing, suburban space and materials, adapting

houses, garages and yards into multi-family housing,
businesses, industry, and agriculture, people might be
able to provide resources to satisfy personal needs
while supplementing income, cultivating a prosperous
community, and transitioning into a sustainable
lifestyle. Here a focus on local production and trade
limits the dependence on imported currencies and
supplies, and eases the loss of oil as the primary engine
of our society. The “community” of the suburbs learns
to solve problems of the suburb. In this way a new
suburb emerges, one that is a dynamic, complex, and
livable community, one that could never be planned
or controlled.

[35]

timeline

2010

Peak Oil
*You are Here

2015

[36]

2020

2030

Certain suburbs densify while
others begin to decline and are
abandoned. Businesses, industry
and multi family housing
flourishes in the densified suburbs.
Abandoned houses and
materials are salvaged and
reused in new construction.

Cost of living increases from high
oil prices, in response people
begin to produce goods on their
own, resulting in the first signs of
sub/ag development and
communal change. Neighbors
begin to work with each other in
effort to increase food
production and share resources.

Local economy begins to
stabilize as local businesses and
agriculture mature. Living
machines and green houses are
implemented by the community
to further support sub/ag
production

Automobiles become reused for
alternative purposes other than
transportation. Horses, donkeys,
mules, and reindeer emerge as
alternative forms of transportation

2025

*

2035

The abandoned suburbs
become reclaimed by nature,
creating natural corridors
between sub/ag communities.
Communities become self
dependent, providing resources
that satisfy personal needs and
help in cultivating a prosperous
and self sustaining community

sub/ag developement

- increase dwelling units and businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s which can help
supplement income for home owners
- additional dwellings can be used to help the elderly
- when teens leave home, the extra space can be
rented out

2010

- individual yards are abandoned in favor of one large
space utilized for agriculture
- products sold at local markets, limit dependancy on
outside food

- mixed use buildings can be inserted in between exising
homes
- Increase local business and production

As part of a summer semester in London we
were broken up into groups and paired with an
architectural firm, in our case ARUP Foresight, to
assist us in a design for the Serpentine Pavilion.
We focused on the mitigation vs. adaption to
climate change. Our design was based on the
fluctuation of space that responds to the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
actions and reactions. The program was broken
down into two main areas; adapt and mitigate.

A moveable wall in between the two could
be adjusted to accommodate the addition of
people into the mitigation zone, causing the
reaction zone to become compressed. Those in
the mitigation zone make an effort to increase
their area by moving the wall, making reference
to the mitigation of climate change. The people
in the adaptation zone feel the compression of
the others actions and are forced to adapt to

the situation, reflecting a different take on climate
change. The design incorporates the re use of
excavated sod for inhabitable green roofs, and
recycled and local materials for construction.
The collection of rainwater is celebrated through
a large roof drain that empties into the main
space.

[41]

concept sketch

pavilion section

[42]

[1] adapt
[2] mitigate
[3] kitchen

floor plan & diagrams

[1]
[2]

[3]
Circulation
Adaptation is accessed through the quieter areas of the
gallery patio, mitigation through the main path along
the road. Both meet along side the kitchen area and
rotating wall.

Water
rainwater is collected and filtered through the sod roof
and collected along the pivoting wlal hinge in a catch
basin displaying the water collection system.

Site reuse
the sod excavated for the buildings footprint is reused as
a green roof for the pavilion

Sun
The inhabitable roof sweeps the southeastern space,
opening for southern solar gain. The roof covers the
western side for a protected and quite environment.